BizBash has announced the event and meeting professionals who have been named as finalists in our New York Readers’ Choice Awards. This group of nominees across 13 categories—including Fund-Raising Event Planner of the Year, Entertainment Act of the Year, Corporate Event Planner of the Year, Event Designer of the Year, and Venue Manager of the Year—was endorsed by industry peers in a call for nominations that recognize individual contributions to the greater New York-area event and meeting industry.
Voting closes on Sunday, October 21, and the winners will be announced at the BizBash IdeaFest New York at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Wednesday, October 24. To cast your vote, visit www.bizbash.com/nyvotes
And the finalists are…
Association Event Planner of the Year:
Debbie Devine, International Association of Credit Portfolio Managers
Michelle James, Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (S.I.F.M.A.)
Priscilla Martillo, International Council of Shopping Centers Inc.
Dale Shumanski, New York Road Runners
Lisa Zahn, the Recording Academy New York Chapter
Caterer of the Year (In-House):
Patrick Connolly, the Kitchen NYC
Anna Ference, Centerplate at the Javits Convention Center
Lee Hayden, United Nations and the NY Landmark Collection
Bobby Stern, Riviera Caterers
Caterer of the Year (Off-Premise):
Michael Adasko, Shiraz Events
Michael Bick, Some Things Fishy Catering
Jill Cole, Great Performances
Tom Loughlin, Company Catered Events
Michele Pokowicz, Mary Giuliani Catering & Events
Stella Rankin, Pinch Food Design
Scott Skey, Bite Food
Franco Vitella, Franco Vitella Catered Affairs
Marc Weber, On the Marc Catering
Corporate Event Planner of the Year:
Samantha Bowerman, Strategic Meetings Group
Sophia-LaFrance Brooks, Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Billy DiMichele, Scholastic Inc.
Carri Farrand, CommerzBank
Nicole Halton, ABC
Theresa Lopez, ExL Pharma
Alicia Schiro, JWT
DJ of the Year:
Adam Alpert, 4 Artist Management L.L.C. DBA 4AM
Casey Connor, Casey Connor Entertainment
Whitney Day, Whitney Day
Kevin (DJKevG) Gould, Gould Artist Management
Stephan Grondin, Stephan Grondin
Jonny Heydt, Jonny Heydt
Marc Weiss, DJ Chef
Entertainment Act of the Year:
Josh Beckerman Entertainment
Heliummm Aerial Dance & Entertainment
Craig Scott Entertainment
The Broadway Dolls
Acroback
Ten 31 Productions
Event Designer of the Year:
Richard Becker, RPBecker Design
Lory Leigh Comeau, Pink Pizza Events
Valerie Couture, Shiraz Events
Matthew David Hopkins, 360 Design Events
Kerry Quade, Kerry Quade: Handmade Quade
Carter Schwarberg, LeadDog Marketing Group
Event Producer of the Year:
Kari Bien, Van Wyck & Van Wyck
Cosimo Bruzzese, Briggs Inc.
Michael Cerbelli, Go West Cerbelli
Robert Hulsmeyer, Empire Force Events
Maya Kalman, Swank Productions
Maya Katz, Alimay Events
Diella Koberstein, Food & Wine
Annette Naif, Annette Naif Events L.L.C.
Vincent Reverdy, Connected Productions
Jill Taub Drury, Drury Design Dynamics
Fund-Raising Event Planner of the Year:
Sharon Abramzon, ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Beth Bobek, Autism Speaks
Jillian Horowitz, UJA-Federation of New York
Tiffany Jacobson, Wildlife Conservation Society
Jenny Powers, the National MS Society
PR Professional of the Year:
Maggie Gallant, Rogers & Cowan
Jessica Levin, Seven Degrees Communication
Susan Magrino, Susan Magrino Agency
Frayda Resnick, Frames Bowling Lounge
Rebecca Silverstein, the Fader
Reality Show Event Planner of the Year:
Samantha Goldberg, Samantha Goldberg & Company
Dina Manzo, Designer Affair Events
Shawn Rabideau, Shawn Rabideau Events & Design
David Tutera, David Tutera
Ally Vitella, Franco Vitella Catered Affairs
Social Event Planner of the Year:
Erica Berman, Jane Layne Events
Danielle Bobish, Curtain Up Events Inc.
Kelly Bruce, New Regime Group
JoAnn Gregoli, Elegant Occasions
Ferinoosh Khosravi, the Roosevelt Hotel New York
Jacqueline Vazquez, Lifetime Events by Jacqueline
Venue Manager of the Year:
Maura Buckley, New York Water Taxi and Circle Line Downtown
Kelly Cervantes, Riverpark
Michele Fox, Center548
Julie Garces, Lucky Strike
Kerri Giovanelli, the Kitchen NYC
Randy Janis, Cipriani Wall Street
Ayman Kamel, Frames Bowling Lounge
Tara Littman, the Varick Room
Susan Silhan, Apella
